Neither the prosecution nor the defense lawyers gave any indication of what happened in the courtroom.

A summary of the day's hearing will be released by the courts administration later in the day.

The convicted ex-president's sentence reading has been scheduled for March 8, 2011, and will be open to the press.

The sentencing
pleas were held behind closed doors after a ruling by the Supreme
Court on Monday. The ruling came in
response to an appeal filed by journalists, represented by Globes legal
reporter Yuval Yoaz, who argued that since both the prosecution and
defense had agreed that the press could be present for most of the
hearing, there was no reason for the lower court to prohibit this.

The justices issued the ruling on Monday in response to an appeal filed
by journalists, represented by Globes legal reporter Yuval Yoaz, who
argued that since both the prosecution and defense had agreed that the
press could be present for most of the hearing, there was no reason for
the lower court to prohibit this. Yoaz also argued that the public had a
right to know the length of the sentence the state was seeking.

Katsav was convicted in December on two counts of rape, indecent assault
and sexual harassment. With the exception of the final ruling, a strict
publication ban has been in place on the trial since proceedings began
in June 2009. All testimony and arguments were held behind closed doors
to protect the privacy of the victims.